Your Gifts at Work

Unexpected Blessings

Before Scott and Kelsi’s journey toward foster care and adoption began, God was already at work writing their family’s story. Little did they know it would include not one, but two incredible blessings.

From the time they were married, God instilled in their hearts a dream of fostering and adopting. “We knew we wanted to start a family and always knew we wanted to foster and adopt someday,” Kelsi says. “We just thought we would have a couple of biological kids first.” But God had a different plan and their journey toward foster care and adoption began sooner than expected.

When faced with unexplained infertility for two years, Scott and Kelsi felt God pointing them toward foster care. Desiring to follow God’s prompting, they stopped fertility treatments, took a leap of faith, and contacted STARRY to begin the process of becoming licensed foster parents.

After three months of foster care training, Scott and Kelsi were licensed and ready. About a week later, they received a call from STARRY about nine-day-old Colton, whom they joyfully welcomed into their home. Being able to see and hold him that very day was a surreal, beautiful experience.

“As long as I live, I will never forget that day,” Scott recalls. “It was amazing that we were entrusted with something so precious. It was a complete blessing.”

Kelsi admits, “We were scared, but we were all in. We had this big house and a lot of love to give. We wanted to share it with someone for as long as they needed us.”

After putting Colton to bed on the third night he was in their home, Scott and Kelsi received some news that left them in utter disbelief and awe of God’s timing. “You are not going to believe this,” Kelsi said to Scott through laughter and tears. “We’re going to have a baby!”

Throughout the months that followed, Scott and Kelsi continued to provide a safe and loving home for Colton, but also struggled with uncertainty. Would Colton remain with their family? “It was the scariest, most stressful, heartbreaking time of our lives,” Kelsi recalls. “It was really hard being pregnant with Lincoln while dreaming of a life with two little boys. Everything at that point was unknown, but it was the closest we’ve ever been to God.”

Knowing the value of a child’s biological family and ultimately supporting reunification, Scott and Kelsi strove to maintain a relationship with Colton’s biological mother by sending pictures and arranging several visits. Kelsi remembers how gracious Colton’s biological mother was the first time they met, even though she was in a really hard place. She thanked them for taking care of Colton and giving him a safe place to live. She was greatly impacted by the love and kindness exhibited by Scott and Kelsi and noticed something special in them.

Realizing Scott and Kelsi could provide a safe, loving home and opportunities she could not, Colton’s mother asked if they would be willing to adopt Colton and make him a permanent part of their family. “You guys are some of the nicest people I have ever met and I can’t think of a better home for him,” she said. Scott and Kelsi were astonished that Colton’s biological mother had chosen them to care for her son. They were honored to be trusted with something so precious and wholeheartedly agreed to adopt him as their son.

In December 2016, only days before Lincoln was born, they found out they were approved to move forward with the adoption. And in July 2017, Colton officially became part of their family.

They commemorated the day with a covenant ceremony at the chapel at Texas Baptist Children’s Home, where they shared their story, made vows to Colton, and celebrated with family and friends. Scott acknowledges that the day “was about Colton and our relationship with him and his relationship with God.”

Looking back, Scott and Kelsi are amazed by the way God’s plan for their family unfolded, even though the journey was difficult and required surrendering all of their own expectations.

“God’s plan for us was so much bigger than our plans for ourselves. I can’t imagine if things had actually gone our way,” Kelsi shares. “If we hadn’t struggled with infertility, we wouldn’t have Colton. Then, instead of giving us one child, God gave us two.”

Scott and Kelsi have found great joy in watching Colton and Lincoln grow and develop sweet, brotherly bond. They have become best friends. “We’ll never run out of love,” Kelsi says. “There’s enough room for each of them in our hearts and many more.”